NEW YORK – Yesterday, a gunman opened fire on dozens of innocent students and faculty at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR. With numerous wounded and at least 9 individuals killed, the Rabbinical Assembly again called for sensible gun control in the United States. Rabbis William Gershon and Julie Schonfeld, president and executive vice president, released the following statement:
We share our deepest sympathies and prayers with the families of those who lost their lives and were injured in today’s shooting in Roseburg, Oregon. There is no place for such senseless violence in our developed society. May their memories be of a blessing for all who knew them.
Jewish tradition teaches that ‘for every stumbling block that threatens lives, one must remove it, protect oneself from it, and be exceedingly careful in its regard; as it says: ‘You shall guard and protect your lives,’ (Deuteronomy 4:9). Gun violence has reached a point in our country where it affects communities of all size, race and creed, rendering even our safest spaces – schools, houses of worship – as targets. It is time for our leaders to enact sensible gun control, to support required background checks on all public and private gun sales, bans on military style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and legislation making gun trafficking a federal crime with severe penalties. We cannot sit idly by while we have the means to prevent future tragedy.